That sounds fun, doesn’t it?
No. What is wrong with me? That sounds crazy.
And I’m not doing crazy anymore. I’m determined to be a rational woman in front of him. The first part of being a rational woman is controlling my thoughts. If I let my brain go wild—which it wants to do—I’d already be planning my wedding to this man.
Stay calm, Lace.
“No, Parson Brown was just my name for your friend Nick.”
My chest tightens the way it always does when Nicholas is brought up.
“Hehatesbeing called Nick and told me so whenever it accidentally slipped out.”
“Probably because Nick and Lacee sound too much like Nick Lachey—a terrible couple name.”
“I said the same thing!”
His smile grows. “I guess we’re on the same page.”
The safety video plays on the movie screens in front of us, interrupting our conversation. It couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. My toes were curled, waiting for him to ask me more questions about Nicholas, but thanks to the seatbelt instructions, I can relax now. I wait until the movie is over before I talk to him again, but I definitely want to be the first person to speak so I can steer the conversation away from the mistakes of my past.
“So, Park, what part of Washington are you from?”
“I’m not from Washington. My mom lives in Leavenworth, so I’m going to spend Christmas with her.”
My chin lowers. “Leavenworth, Washington?”
“Do you know the town?”
I point to myself. “That’s where I’m from.”
I’m silently squealing like a schoolgirl who just touched Justin Beiber’s hand at a concert.
We’re totally getting married.
Lacee Bradshaw—it sounds amazing.
“Let me get this straight.” Park shifts, so he’s facing me. “First, you walk in while I’m changing, then you kiss me, and now you’re following me home for Christmas? Are you some kind of stalker?”
“All of that was purely accidental, so rest assured, I’m not stalking you. But let me just double-check that I don’t have a life-size poster of you stashed in my luggage.”
“Am I in my underwear or wearing pants in this hypothetical poster?”
“Knowing you, you’d probably be in your underwear.”
“That’s probably true.” Park laughs.
The man sitting next to me shushes us as the captain makes his announcement about take off. We both quiet our laughter for a moment until the captain is done speaking.
“So I’m guessing you’re some kind of chemist.”
“Have you been in my apartment or something?” I joke.
His blue eyes stay on me. “How did you know?”
“Well, I have a giant Periodic Table hanging up in my apartment so I figured that’s what tipped you off that I’m a chemist.”
“Not the Periodic Table on your wrist?” His fingers trace over my charm bracelet, grazing lightly over my skin. I force myselfnotto shudder, but it’s always the lightest touches that cause the most power. “Plus Nicholas said at the mall that you worked at his lab in Boston.”
